Economic evaluation of integrated management of fruit fly in mango production in Embu County, Kenya

This paper evaluated the economic benefits of managing mango-infesting fruit flies in Embu County, Kenya using an integrated pest management (IPM) package composed of male annihilation technique (MAT), protein bait spray, releases of exotic parasitoid Fopius arisanus and the use of augmentorium. The difference-in-difference (DiD) method was used to assess the impact of the mango IPM on the magnitude of mango rejection and insecticide expenditure and net income. The study revealed that,on average, mango IPM participants had an approximately 54.5% reduction in the magnitude of mango rejection; spent 46.3% less on insecticide per acre and received approximately 22.4% more net income than the non-participants. This implies a high economic benefit from the application of the fruit fly IPM technology, and mango farmers would profit significantly if the intervention was expanded to provide wide coverage of other mango-growing areas in Kenya.